Shovel



HAMES. SHOVEL.

(No Model.)

No. 511,6'70. Patented Dec. 26, 1893.

Unittnn Startas lfa'tnN't* minis,

I'IOBART AMES, OF EASTON, MASSAOHUSETTS.

SHOVEL.

SPECIFICATION forlning part Of Letters Patent NO. 511,670, daietl Decenlber 26, 1893. Application filed December 13, 1892. Serial No. 455,059. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may conoern:

Be it known that I, HOBART AMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Easton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Shovels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, olear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention belongs to that class of shovels known as snow shovels. Heretofore a wide variety of these shovels have been made and used,-some of wood and others of metal. So far as I am aware, the handles of the metal shovels are secured to a socket by means of pieces of metal upon the front or back of the end of the handle, or upon both front and back, through which, as well as the handle and blade, headed rivets pass. The objection to this Structure is the number of pieces and the cost. In the wooden shovels, the end of the handle is nailed to the upper end of the blade, and sometimes a seat is grooved out in this end and the strip across it. Here too the number of parts and the difficulty of making the groove as well as of fastening the handle firmly in place make the structure costlyand objectionable.

The noveltyin my shovel consists in stamp` ing out centrally of the upper part of the metal blade a seat or socket of suitable size and shape so that the end of the wooden handle when placed on it fits smoothly and snugly into it; and at the back fiush with the back of the shovel; this seat or socket is also slightly inclined from its lower end upward so that the handle shall be, when fixed in position, in proper position relatively to the blade for the best use or Operation of the shovel. Thus my shovel consists only of the two parts, handle and blade, united together by means of rivets, and having a handle slightly inclined to the blade, and at the back tlush with the back of the shovel.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of this shovel, showing the front. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the rear. Fig. 3 is a central sectional view through the lower end of the handle and socket.

In the accompanying drawings, A designates the blade, having about the Sides and at the top the outwardly fiaring or bent flange a, which not only serves to stiffen the blade, but adds greatly to its efficieney in use. Centrally in the upper end and edge of the blade is the stamped-out seat or socket a', for the end of the shovel-handle B. WVhileheretofore it has been common to stamp out a seat or socket at this point for the handle end, my seat or socket essentially differs from all others that I know about in that it is much deeper and that it projects from the under Side inward or upward into the top and body of the upper part of the blade. Thisinsures a good position for the handle end and as the handle end is placed in this socket on the under side it is substantially flush with the back of the shovel and is thus practicallyembedded so as to be entirely protected and by this structure any .tendency to strain the rivets is prevented, nor is the handle end liable to strike against any obstruction. This seat or socket is pointed at the lower end az, but thence flares slightly upward, and at the upper edge is rounded at as, and is of a generally V or U-shape and adapted in size to fit snugly upon the end of the proper handle for the size of the shovel. As this seat or socket is stamped of the upper edge of the blade and the top fiange o, it is evident that it will incline slightly upward. This shape will insure the proper inclination of the handle When it is attached to the blade by means of rivets O, which pass through both handle and blade and are headed at each end. It will also be noted that as the back of the end of the handle is fiush with the back of the blade, there is afforded a Smooth surface that will offer no obstruction when the shovel is used in snow or otherwise.

The Simplicity1 of Structure, the ease and cheapness of manufacture, the excellent adaptability of the device in use, and its Strength, makes this shovel a Very desirable article.

W'hat I claim is- 1. A snow shovel oonsisting of a metal blade having at the sides and top a stiffening, outwardly flaring flange, and centrally in the IOO Upper portion and in the top flange a V or U shaped, inwardly extending and slightly inclined socket, ooinbined With the handle and the rivets passing through the handle and v socket and securing said handle and blade together finsh With the back of the shovel, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the handle B, With the blade A, having the stainped-out V or U- ivo shaped and inclined Seat or socket a', in its upper portion and liange a, whereby the lower end of the handle is flnsh With the back of the Shovel blade, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony Whereof I affix my Signature in 15 presence of two witnesses.

HOBART' AMES.

Witnesses:

CHAs. W. HIGGINBOTTOM, OAKEs A. AMES. 

